Discovered: "Super Earth"

[Si Hunt]

Astronomers have found the most Earth-like planet outside our Solar System to date, a world which could have water running on its surface.
The planet orbits the faint star Gliese 581, which is 20.5 light-years away in the constellation Libra.

Scientists made the discovery using the Eso 3.6m Telescope in Chile.

They say the benign temperatures on the planet mean any water there could exist in liquid form, and this raises the chances it could also harbour life.

"We have estimated that the mean temperature of this 'super-Earth' lies between 0 and 40 degrees Celsius, and water would thus be liquid," explained Stephane Udry of the Geneva Observatory, lead author of the scientific paper reporting the result.

"Moreover, its radius should be only 1.5 times the Earth's radius, and models predict that the planet should be either rocky - like our Earth - or covered with oceans."

Xavier Delfosse, a member of the team from Grenoble University, added: "Liquid water is critical to life as we know it."

He believes the planet may now become a very important target for future space missions dedicated to the search for extra-terrestrial life.

These missions will put telescopes in space that can discern the tell-tale light "signatures" that might be associated with biological processes.

The observatories would seek to identify trace atmospheric gases such as methane, and even markers for chlorophyll, the pigment in Earth plants that plays a critical role in photosynthesis.

Have we found a new planet to move to when we've outgrown this one? Or will there actually be civilisations already on this (sorry) New Earth?

At 20 light years away, we won't be going there any time soon but with new propulsion methods of space travel coming in, who knows?

Si.

[Trudi G]

Maybe we should name it 'New Earth'?

[Rob McCow]

The observatories would seek to identify trace atmospheric gases such as methane

Test for methane - sending a lighted splint via teleport?

[Si Hunt]

Maybe we should name it 'New Earth'?

Ah, you see if you'd read to the bottom of my post you'd have seen I got that one in before you.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

They should call it New Earth, that'd be funny.

[Trudi G]

Shut it!

[Pip Madeley]

How about Mondas?

[Wayne]

I Don't Like Mondas. Boomtown 'Mats.

B'dum tish.

[Pip Madeley]

And here, straight from Mount Polomar observatory, is the first picture of our new neighbour in space...



Lots of talc in the atmosphere it seems.

[Jason Thompson]

Have we found a new planet to move to when we've outgrown this one? Or will there actually be civilisations already on this (sorry) New Earth?

Highly unlikely on the first point, unlikely but can't be ruled out on the second.

This New Earth would not be very hospitable for us. It's resemblance to this planet is rock and water, and that's about it. Various estimates are available about the planet and the parent star. Using those paints a far less pretty picture than the media do (what? The media glamming something up in blatant disregard of facts? Never!)

Estimates of this planet's size place it at 1.5 times Earth's diameter and about five times its mass, which, when you crunch the numbers, means it has a surface gravity more than twice that of Earth. Because of its proximity to the star it is also likely to be tidally locked, just as our Moon is to Earth, so one side never gets night and one side never gets day. It may have an average temperature of between 0 and 40 degrees, but if that's distributed into baking heat on one side and frigid cold on the other that might not be very helpful in terms of life. On the other hand, the atmosphere may circulate warm and cold air, making the variation between the two sides more bearable.

The sun on that world is smaller and dimmer than our sun, but it is considerably closer. If I've done the trig right (which I'm confident about) it should appear four times larger than the sun does from here, and if I've done the other calculation right (which I'm not so confident about) it should be about twice as bright. That particular class of star also tends to be highly variable, possibly making the environment on the orbiting planets quite unstable.

So, as impressive as it is to find a planet that could have liquid water and could harbour life as we know it, this particular one isn't likely to be much good to us even if we could get there. However, it does raise hopes of others as yet undiscovered, since the star this planet orbits is one of our closer neighbours, cosmically speaking.

[Si Hunt]

Thanks for all that Jason, most interesting! We can always rely on you to bring a few facts to the hyperbole!

Si.

[Jason Thompson]

Glad to be of service.

[WhiteCrow]

I heard the gravity was about 5 times that on Earth - meaning we'd feel permanently stressed like a fighter pilot in a high-g maneouvre.

[Si Hunt]

Sounds like an average day here in the office.

Si.

[Carol Baynes]

Quite exciting stuff.

We should all be talking about this though- where are the excited news reports? It is exciting!
Did I say it was exciting?! I did!

[WhiteCrow]

What's so exciting about this though is 20 light years is pretty much in our back yard cosmologically speaking. Means such worlds could be fairly common.

[Si Hunt]

The main news never reports on exciting scientific discoveries in space. Yet if Brad'n'Angelina have a tiff or Jordan buys some new tits, it's everywhere. Such is the world.

Si.

[Jonno]

When I heard of this on the radio this morning, within minutes of waking up, my first thought was : Jason Thompson!

[Andrew Curnow]

My first thought was of Colin Baker whirling his umbrella and saying how unusual it is to find two planets so similar...

[WhiteCrow]

The main news never reports on exciting scientific discoveries in space. Yet if Brad'n'Angelina have a tiff or Jordan buys some new tits, it's everywhere. Such is the world.

Si.

Because news is meant to entertain the masses, not educate them.

[Jason Thompson]

Because news is meant to entertain the masses, not educate them.

No it certainly is not. What is entertaining about hearing about people dying in Iraq, or some psycho in a university in America shooting people at random, or who's going to be the next Prime Minister, or how local education standards are sliping according to the latest survey results? News is not for entertainment, news is for the dissemination of information to the masses.

[Dirk Gently]

But he's right though, it's not for education. Which is a shame as I think this is very news worthy. I only saw one news report about this.

What's so exciting about this though is 20 light years is pretty much in our back yard cosmologically speaking. Means such worlds could be fairly common.

Shame that this species is so emotionally crippled that we can't get passed our own back door though.

[Si Hunt]

Surely it IS for education.

Si.

[Wayne]

I think people are taking Whitecrow's remark too literally.
I think he means that this sort of topic isn't considered interesting enough. Apart from the usual news of crime/wars/polictics etc... This kind of news is put on the backburner in favour of more sensationalist, 'news' like 'Jade Goody is a racist', or something. Which a lot of people find more 'entertaining'.
At least i think that's what he was getting at. Correct me if i'm way of beam Mr.Whitecrow.

[Carol Baynes]

Things are coming over all Jeno Solar brother at the controls!

But yes, I hope we took Whitey literally too.